Case Study on Calgary Oil Shale Technologies

Question: Case study on Calgary Oil Shale Technologies. Answer: The case study on Calgary Oil Shale Technologies focuses on the core concept of introducing teamwork and co-operation among the different hierarchies of employees in an organization to ensure the smooth functioning of the organization. It helps to overcome the differences that are prevalent between the workers and management level authorities and ensures that the morale of the employees stays high (Hollensen, 2015). This ultimately ensures increased productivity of the organization and results in profitability. Role played by Carlos Debrito in the success of Alberta team-based productivity project Carlos Debrito played a very crucial part in the Alberta team-based pilot project. Carlos had worked for Calgary Oil Shale Technologies (COST) for twenty-six years and in this long span, he had worked in every possible position of line and staff that the company is made of. This experience had enabled him to understand the functioning of the company to the minutest of details (Hutt Speh, 2012). In short, he was well aware of the nitty-gritties that constituted the company and the problems that its employees faced both on the field-side and technical side of the business. Algoma Howard, who was the person-in-charge for the implementation of Alberta productivity project, asked Carlos Debrito to become the leader of this project because of the experience he had amassed and the respect he had earned among his colleagues (Meffert, 2013). She was pleased when Carlos Debrito agreed to her proposal and took up this project as one final challenge before his retirement. Debrito gave inputs to Howard regarding the problems that the employees in Alberta were facing, the differences among the hourly workers, the equipment-maintenance people and the engineers (geologists, geophysicists). Together, they devised certain methods to address these problems so that the differences among the employees could be sorted out and they could all work in a congenial and collaborative environment (Philip, 2016). Disputes among the working classes in a company are inevitable. According to Joseph F. Byrnes, a professor of management at Waltham, the parties who are warring with each other should be given a chance to resolve and reconcile their differences before any orders from higher authorities are issued. (Workplace Conflict Resolution by Byrnes) Debrito made use of this approach to resolve conflicts in Alberta. Leadership Approach employed by Carlos Debrito to help reduce conflict between labor and Professionals Various models of leadership approach have come into existence over a long period of time as industries and businesses have taken shape. Few of them are autocratic leadership, participative-style leadership, cross-cultural leadership, emergent leadership, situational leadership etc. (Journal of Social Psychology). According to the need of the hour, one particular approach or a combination of approaches has to be employed by a leader to resolve conflicts among the employees (Sheth Sisodia, 2015). The leadership approach that was employed by Carlos Debrito in this case is that of a mix of team leadership and participative style leadership. Debrito encouraged team-building practices such as fireside chats where demands of a particular group or complaints about the other group were discussed. Debrito made sure that these meetings were conducted in a peaceful manner and were fruitful. He would crack a joke to ease the situation when the tension reached a peak. He also adopted the partici pative style of leadership (Wilson Gilligan, 2012). He did not subject himself as a leader but set examples to bring about conciliation by doing things himself. When it was decided that the warring groups would engage in weekly hockey matches to ease off the tension, Debrito became the goalie for one side. So, we can clearly see his team-building and participative style of leadership. Agreement with Algoma Howards view that the Colorado Project needed a Carlos Debrito There is but no other opinion other than agreement with Algoma Howards view in this context. The team-based productivity project in Alberta was a success owing to the experience and innovativeness of Carlos Debrito (Meffert, 2013). Howard met no such personality in Colorado who could tell her about the problems in that subsidiary and it was obvious that the ideas that made Alberta a success could not be used as predefined rules in the case of Colorado (Philip, 2016). Morale did not boost up among the employees by implementing the methods that were used in Alberta because there was no person like Carlos Debrito who the people trusted and respected. There was no participation of the Colorado employees in the events that were organized by Howard and team as there was no person like Debrito to ensure participation of the workers in these events. The gap between the Colorado employees and Howards team could never be bridged (Wilson Gilligan, 2012). It can be clearly observed from the case study how team-building projects can help in improvement of work culture of an organization and improve productivity and profitability. However, not all problems are same and an unique approach has to be adopted for each of them to ensure that a healthy and nurturing work culture is maintained. References Chan, H.K., He, H. and Wang, W.Y., 2012. 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